Aljamain Sterling and Petr Yan will sq. off for the third time — however this time, in a training capability.
The 2-time UFC bantamweight championship opponents will function coaches on Russian actuality TV collection just like The Final Fighter. Sterling steps in as a substitute for longtime teammate and good friend, together with present UFC 135-pound champion Merab Dvalishvili.
Each Sterling and Yan confirmed the swap on social media in a promotional put up.
The rationale for Dvalishvili’s scratch from the competitors was not revealed within the announcement.
Sterling defeated Yan to win the bantamweight title through disqualification as a consequence of an unlawful knee at UFC 259 in March 2021. They might run it again 13 months later within the co-main occasion of UFC 273 in an excellent shut battle that noticed “Funk Grasp” retain the championship through break up resolution.
Since then, Sterling would go on to lose the title to Sean O’Malley earlier than making the transfer to featherweight. Yan overcame a three-fight shedding skid and earned back-to-back resolution wins in 2024 over Song Yadong and Deiveson Figueiredo.
